Campaign of the Month:
May 2016

Mysteria

Magic

Ley Lines:

Ley lines are the scales of Ouroborus and the “blood of the world”, affecting magic both arcane and divine. They traverse most of Midgard but are invisible to all but Nurian Mages and Elf-Marked creatures. However, they can also be discerned by mages using the Ley Line Magic feat. Typically their range of effect encompasses a mile radius. They exist in various levels of strength and power and are usually found at certain landmarks:Weak – e.g. babbling brook, standing stones (but not in temples: suppressed) Affect spells of Levels 0-3Strong – e.g. places of magical reputation – dragon or elf, hilltops, ruins, canyons, groves, etc. Affect spells of Levels 0-6Titanic – e.g. rare and sometimes fleeting, cliffs, mountains, natural wonders, often inhabited by powerful creatures like dragons, demons, etc. Affect spells of ALL Levels

Locked or Unlocked. Some Leylines are locked to a particular spell or power. Newly discovered or abandoned Leylines may be unlocked and capable of any power on the Ley Line Tables MCS p20/21

Using Ley Lines:

To consciously use Ley Lines, a creature must have the Ley Line Magic feat. Free action Caster Level check (CL + Mod or UMD) needed to activate. DC = 10+Lev of Spell being cast. If successful, the caster rolls on the Ley Line Table or uses the automatic effect of a LOCKED Ley Line. DC check failure means spell acts normally and Ley Line is not activated. Natural 1 failure means Ley Line burnout and backlash. (The Ley Line disappears for at least 24 hours and roll Backlash effect from Table 1-4.)

Elf-Marked can see Ley Lines and determine whether they are LOCKED or UNLOCKED.
Local people may know of the local Ley Lines and whether it is locked or unlocked and so magic users familiar with the area have an advantage when using locked Ley Lines. Those not familiar with the area must find out the nature of the Ley Line by trial and error, although Elf-Marked characters will be able to tell whether it is LOCKED or UNLOCKED.Ley Lines can have effect on spells cast, even if the caster is unaware or does not have the required feats. DM will make a CL Roll in secret and let the caster know the result once the spell has been cast.

Known Ley Lines (Zobeck)

River Argent: North to South for a mile on either side: WEAKLEYLINE: LOCKED – Lingering Spell.
Grandfather’s Tears: River Argent to Hag’s Tooth Hills: WEAKLEYLINE: LOCKED – Intensified Spell.DEMONMOUNTAIN: Several STRONGLEYLINES converging. Orkasa to Demon Mountain: LOCKED – Empower Spell.

Known Ley Lines (Siwal)

Middle Sea Line: North to South through Siwal for a mile on either side and veering North East through the Sands of Sorrow: WEAKLEYLINE: Locked – Penetrating Spell (Ley Line Magic overcomes any energy resistance) This line changes to Titanic when it joins the Green Nuria River miles to the South. (Locked: Echoing Spell)
Per-Kush Line: East to West through Siwal for a mile on either side: STRONGLEYLINE: Locked – Umbral Spell (Ley Line Magic gains the Darkness descriptor and target radiates Darkness in a 10’ Radius). The NECROPOLIS rests on this line.

Incantations:

Incantations are powerful magical rituals practised by devoted spellcasters and non spellcasters alike. While often considered common magic – the workings of hedge wizards and lowly town wise-women – incantations belong to a class of truly awe inspiring powers beyond ordinary spells. Incantations are inherently connected to their performers and the latent magic around them, and performers focus and release this magic when they ceremoniously cast incantations.

Any person can learn an incantation after spending One Hour per Level studying it and making either a Spellcraft Check (DC10 + Incantation’s Effective Level) or an Intelligence Check (DC15 + Effective Level). The student receives a + 5 circumstance bonus to the roll if taught during this period by an individual who already knows the incantation. See Deep Magic p291

Dragon Magic:

Elf Magic:

Hieroglyph Magic:

Hieroglyph Magic is a rare and ancient form of Symbolic Magic practised by (among others) the early priest-kings and eldar clerics of Thoth, although it is still used today in Nuria Natal among some of the religious cults. Similar to Aboleth Glyphs or Nordic Runes, it uses the Hieroglyphic Symbols of the region to evoke its magic, requiring the Rune Mastery feat or Deeper Runic Lore and Runesmith feats to access additional abilities. SCS p71

Recently, Arcael and The Oooze were able to copy some example spells from a lost library that they visited. These are listed below:

The target sickle gains a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls and is treated as a silver weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. If the wielder is a divine spellcaster that worships Thoth, the sickle has the damage and critical threat range of a scimitar when wielded
in melee, and the wielder can use the sickle to make ranged attacks as if it were a + 1 returning chakramAPG.

A worshiper of Thoth with the ability to channel positive or negative energy can expend one use of channeled energy in order to grant the weapon the axiomatic property for a number of rounds equal to the number of dice of damage her channeled energy would normally heal or inflict. This property functions only when the weapon is wielded by a divine spellcaster who worships Thoth.

You create a screen of glowing hieroglyphs and translucent pictograms in an Egyptian style. The hieroglyphic barrier does not block line of sight but does provide concealment in both directions to creatures on the opposite side of the barrier. The glowing glyphs and images shed bright light within 10 feet and normal light 10 feet beyond this. In addition, the caster may designate one side of the wall to cause creatures coming or beginning their turn within 10 feet to become dazzled for 1d4 rounds (no save); those between 10 and 20 feet are dazzled for 1 round (Will negates).

In addition to the visual effects described above, any creature passing through a hieroglyphic barrier is affected as if the barrier were a glyph of warding. The caster must designate the type of glyph at the time of casting and it cannot be changed thereafter. If the caster chooses a blast glyph effect, the hieroglyphic barrier deals damage individually to each creature passing through it (Reflex half); it does not create a burst.

If the caster chooses a spell glyph, the casting time increases to 1 round and the spell to be imbued into the hieroglyphic barrier is also cast and expended (including any material components) as part of this casting. A creature that successfully saves against a spell glyph effect is thereafter immune to that spell glyph effect, even if it passes through the hieroglyphic barrier more than once.

HIEROGLYPHBARRIER, GREATER

School abjuration; Level cleric 8

This spell functions as hieroglyphic barrier, but creatures passing through the barrier are affected as a greater glyph of warding rather than a glyph of warding.

You create three glowing motes of light that whirl and spin around the caster, one resembling a full moon, one a half moon, and one a crescent moon, shedding light equivalent to a moonlight spell centered on and moving with the caster. As a move action, the caster may send any or all of the moons to any points within range, causing their light to emanate from that point with a radius of 5 feet per caster level. If the caster moves so that one or more moons would be outside the spell’s range, those moons immediately return to the caster’s side.

All magical darkness effects of 3rd level or lower are suppressed within the range of the moons’ light without affecting their illumination. In addition to shedding light, the threefold moons of Thoth exert power over certain realms of magic, as follows:
Full Moon: Representing light and certainty, the full moon enhances spells with the lawful or light descriptor.
Half Moon: Representing balance and negotiation, the half moon enhances abjurations and language-dependent effects.
Crescent Moon: Representing knowledge and wisdom, the crescent moon enhances divinations; spells that increase Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma; and spells that create runes, symbols, and writings.

As long as a moon is adjacent to the caster, she gains a +2 circumstance bonus on Spellcraft checks and saving throws against spells using its types of magic. In addition, at any point during the spell’s duration the caster can tap a moon when casting a spell of its type. This causes the spell to take effect at +1 caster level and also gain one of the following effects: Augment Summoning; Enlarge Spell; Eschew Materials + Silent Spell and Still Spell; Extend Spell; Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus; Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration. These benefits duplicate the feats of the same name and do not stack if the caster already has those feats.

Tapping a moon’s power does not increase the casting time or effective level of the spell being modified. After a moon is tapped it winks out and its effects are lost. If all three moon are tapped in this way, the spell ends.

The scrolls above are said to have been written by Thoth himself and do not require the Rune Mastery feat to activate.